Consumer behaviour has undergone a radical shift over the years. More people are now using the internet to gather information and buy products or services. What does it mean for a business? Irrespective of whether you are a small business or a large enterprise, having an online presence is a must nowadays. Unfortunately, most small businesses refuse to invest in a good website to keep costs low.

However, they don’t realise that a lack of online presence is hurting their business. But a website is only the first step. Ask any web design company in Toronto or elsewhere, and they will agree that the website is just the start. The one thing that will help your small business stand out from the competition is professional design. This article will discuss why a good website design is crucial to your business.

Top Reasons Why a Good Website Design is a Must for Small Businesses

1. Improves Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

SEO is the process through which a search engine ranks and indexes your website. SEO is crucial to improving your ranking on the search engine and bringing more visitors. With the right strategies, you can convert these visitors into customers. It means that small businesses can improve their customer base through SEO.

There is a strong correlation between SEO and website design. For example, Google states that it uses certain elements of the web design, such as mobile-friendliness and responsiveness, as a factor in its search algorithm. A good website design means the website will rank higher in the rankings.

Another benefit of SEO is the trust factor. Less than 10% of internet users visit Google’s second page when gathering information or buying a product or service. They feel that the higher a website’s ranking, the better the quality of its products and services. Thus, website ranking impacts user trust.

2. Increases Conversion Rate

A good web design can bring more customers. How? A quality web design helps visitors find relevant information. Suppose that your small business sells custom car parts. If the website does not mention what products are sold, their warranty period, delivery duration, or detailed product information clearly and precisely, the user experience would be negative. All of us prefer to shop at a place where the relevant information is easily accessible. It builds trust and sends a message to the prospective buyer that the business is not hiding anything.

3. Builds Trust

Would you prefer a website with a professional web design or one that looks like it has been created just to show that the business has an online presence? Undoubtedly, everyone would prefer a website with a professional web design because it gives a sense of legitimacy. Research indicates that 95% of internet users think a website with too many advertisements, popups, and cluttered information is not trustworthy. Other elements which induce this feeling are slow loading time and poor user experience. Therefore, any website design company in Toronto or elsewhere would first focus on removing these elements.

4. Complements Content

Content and web design go hand in hand. They are the two sides of the same coin and cannot exist without one another. If your website has a professional design, it will maximise the content’s impact. Otherwise, no matter how compelling the content, a poor website design will prevent users from engaging with it. Therefore, design the website in a manner that complements the content.

Brand Recognition

Every small business wishes to improve its brand recognition as it leads to more customers and provides it with other opportunities such as collaboration. If your website has a good design, users will automatically remember it. They will keep returning to it and sharing the website with friends and family.

What website elements improve brand recognition?

Think of the brand tagline. It is the first thing that users will see after opening a website. It needs to be compelling from the design perspective and the content itself. As a business, you must experiment with the design and content until it meets customer expectations.

Other ways to improve brand recognition include infographics, videos, and customer testimonials. Again, the design matters as much as the content itself. The design must complement the rest of the website and maximise the content’s impact. A/B testing can you find the right balance.

Conclusion

This concludes our article on the importance of good web design for small businesses. If you are a small business owner, we recommend hiring a web design company to help you set up a professional website. We can assure you that the investment will be worth it and could improve the bottom line of your business.